Hawaiian Speed Ferries Rescue Haiti

hawaii superferry

MV Alakai

Two of Hawaii’s deposed speed ferries, the MV Huakai and MV Alakai, are commissioned to help in Operation Unified Response in Haiti. The MV Huakai and MV Alakai are the flagships of Hawaii Superferry who buckled in March 2009 under lawsuit after lawsuit, aside from low ridership. It’s a good time for these two speed ferries to show their might (in good purpose) to aid in relief operation in Haiti following the devastating earthquake in January 12. The first to arrive was the MV Huakai in January 29, and the MV Alakai will shortly follow after.

The high speed ferries control

The two high speed ferries are under the control of the Military Sealift Command during the operation and will be operated by U.S. civilian mariners as part of the U.S. contingent to Haiti. MV Huakai will be used to transport equipment and personnel to Haiti from the United States, and its ability to haul 450 tons of cargo and 500 passengers while maintaining 33 knots in the speedometer will be a huge contribution to the relief effort. MV Huakai left Fort Eutis in Virginia in January 27 with rapid port opening elements, communication devices, forklifts, Humvees, trucks, and aid personnel to arrive in Haiti in January 29.

The MV Alakai

Few days after MV Huakai left for Haiti, its sister high speed ferries, MV Alakai, will join her for the same mission in Haiti from Norfolk Virginia. MV Alakai can carry 866 passengers and relief cargos at top speed of 40 knots, and she will be tasked to move aid workers in and out of Haiti from different strategic points. The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is working actively with other U.S. agencies to give aid to the Haitians after the devastating earthquake in January 12. MARAD reported that they have more than 20 commercial ships ready to sail to Haiti upon request by aid agencies.

Austal speed ferries

The two speed ferries, MV Huakai and MV Alakai, were built by the world’s largest high speed ferries maker Austal, based in Australia. But the two ferries were built in its branch in Mobile, Alabama for Hawaii Superferry.

However, Huakai never made it to Hawaii after her sister Alakai had a terrible reputation and eventually were taken off from service in March 2009. Hawaii’s Superferry Company purportedly never made any money from its speed ferries operation in the island, and the lawsuits never helped the company either.

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